1) 22nd Annual “SIMI VALLEY CAJUN & BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL” Sat & Sun 2) ANNUAL “SCOTS FEST,” THIS WEEKEND IN ORANGE COUNTY 3) “TOPANGA DAYS COUNTRY FAIR” – THE ONLY FEST THAT'S ALL 3 DAYS 4) “SUMMERFEST SONGWRITERS PROJECT” – DEADLINE MAY 31 5) “HOW TO WORK THE MEDIA” SEMINAR – ONE LAST TIME IN L.A., JUNE 7

Before you start, a suggestion: just go to a different festival each day, and you'll save the costs of air fare to Louisiana and Scotland and to whatever mythical land is evoked in Topanga...

Our # 1 Story

22nd Annual “SIMI VALLEY CAJUN & BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL” Sat & Sun

The first-rate “SIMI VALLEY CAJUN & BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL” recently experienced a name change, to bring equal billing to the second half of its focus. You may recall its years as the “Simi Cajun Creole Festival.” Well, the blues are taken seriously here, and the name reflects that. The festival is even a member of the Blues Foundation. But don't think for a moment that the Cajun and zydeco entertainers are anything but the best, as well. This festival has two stages. Both have a full-scale festival sound and lights package, plus dance floors at each. On the Cajun Creole Stage, catch BILLY LEE & THE SWAMP CRITTERS, ANDRE THIERRY & ZYDECO MAGIC, 2010 Grammy winner BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO, LIL POOKIE & THE ZYDECO SENSATIONS, and more. On the Blues Stage, catch THE 44s, LOS FABULOCOS FEATURING KID RAMOS, MIKEY JR. & THE STONE COLD BLUES, ARTHUR ADAMS, ANA POPOVIC, THE MANNISH BOYS with TRACY NELSON, RUSTY ZINN, LYNWOOD SLIM, THE KING BROTHERS, BOB CORRITORE, PETER DAMMANN, JOHN NEMETH, and more. The lineup has more fine musicians, including MARIA MULDAUR, and legendary slide guitar master ELVIN BISHOP with his HELL RAISIN’ REVUE and their album release party. More? There's SHAWN PITTMAN, an up-and-coming Texas guitar slinger, and JOHN NEMETH, Blues Music Award nominee for Contemporary Male Blues Artist of the Year. Come hungry, or just stay long enough to get caught-up in the whole spirit of Mardi Gras-style Second Line Parades and that marvelous music. There's plenty of N'Awlins style cuisine and some cool vendors with a whole variety of wares. This is always a fine event, lots of fun, ably operated, and it benefits a number of local charities and youth organizations. The festival runs 10:30 am-8 pm on Saturday & Sunday in beautiful Rancho Santa Susana Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Av, Simi Valley 93063; info and parking / shuttle directions are at www.simicajun.org. Adult admission, age 13 and up, is $18. Kids age 5 to 12 are $15, and under age 5 is free.

The annual “SCOTS FEST,” aka the UNITED SCOTTISH SOCIETY'S HIGHLAND GAMES & GATHERING, is another event whose name may throw you if you haven't been for a few years. It was formerly called the “Orange County Scottish Festival & Highland Games.” It takes place Saturday & Sunday, 9 am-5 pm, at the Orange County Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa 92626; www.scotsfest.com. Music includes performances by ALEX BEATON, SLIGO RAGS, THE BROWNE SISTERS, HIGHLAND WAY, BAD HAGGIS, BROTHER, KRIS COLT & THE BLACK ROSE BAND, THOSE MANNING BOYS, PLOUGHBOYS, L.A. SCOTS PIPE BAND, SCOTTISH FIDDLERS, CHRISTOPHER YATES, and more. There are four stages, plus arena events, highland dancing, bagpiping and drumming competition, massed bands, sheep herding demos, and “junior activities” for the wee ones. And, and of course, there are the “Scottish Athletics,” with events like the one where people toss telephone poles around like matchsticks, and the one where they throw the “heavy hammer,” and the one where they pitch pebbles, in the form of a 56-pound boulder. And remember to eat some haggis and other authentic treats from the British Isles. They're there, they're tasty, and you should plan to eat earlier or later than regular lunchtime, because the food is popular and lines get long. This year, everything happens during the day, with no added evening events (but the days are packed). Not to be missed is the “Massed Bands.” The amalgamated army of pipes and drums will perform at the opening ceremony on Saturday, starting at noon, and at Closing Ceremonies both days, starting at 5 pm. The fairgrounds charges a $5 parking fee for general and handicap parking, $8 for preferred. A Courtesy Tram is available to and from the ticket gate An adult two-day pass is $25, one-day is $18. Seniors get discounts, active military in uniform get in free, and kids' tickets are truly cheap, just $3 for one day, $4 for two days.

Sunday through Monday, with good musical offerings amidst an eclectic lineup each day, is the 38th annual “TOPANGA DAYS COUNTRY FAIR,” running 10 am-7 pm each day at the Topanga Community Center fairgrounds, 1440 N Topanga Canyon Bl, Topanga, midway between the 101 and PCH. It's “One of the most celebrated country fairs in Southern California,” with three stages of music and more. Musical headliners this year include the FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS, JOHN MAYALL, MAGGIE MAYALL, JIM MESSINA, THE STRAY CATS’ LEE ROCKER, & YESTERDAY’S CHILD. We ran a major feature on this festival a few weeks back, available in the archive at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/05/acoustic-americana-music-guide-previews.html. General admission is $20. A discount is offered to members of the military and Topanga Community Center at $15; children ages 6-12 & seniors are $10.

Summerfest officials in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have included a new “viral video contest” that “allows Summerfest fans to express their love for the World’s Largest Music Festival and compete to win great prizes.” Well now. Everyone who enters the Summerfest Songwriters Competition will receive a Commemorative Opening Day ticket. The five finalists will also receive a four-pack of Commemorative Opening Day tickets, a four-pack of Summerfest General Admission tickets and cool Summerfest swag. Fans are encouraged to let their creativity shine by creating a video of a “Let’s Fest!” song they composed (30 seconds to 5 minutes in length) about Summerfest. Songs can come in any form – from jingles to cheers, raps, spoken word poetry, ballads, guitar solos, whistled ditties or any other creative offering with rhythm and melody. Songwriters can enter by uploading their videos via www.Summerfest.com/SongwritersProject no later than May 31. All submissions will be reviewed by Summerfest staff, including entertainment and marketing executives. Five finalists will be announced on June 8. The public will then have their chance to vote for their favorite submission through June 13 at Summerfest.com. A grand prize winner will be announced on June 14 and will receive some great prizes, including a thousand dollar ($1,000) cash prize, a pair of tickets to the show of their choice in the Marcus Amphitheater during Summerfest, entry to Summerfest every day during the 2011 festival, a two hundred fifty dollar ($250) Gift Card to Summerfest, and prime video placement on Summerfest.com. Summerfest 2011 will take place June 29 - July 3 and July 5 - 10, from noon until midnight daily (closed Monday). Billed as “The World's Largest Music Festival,” and “Milwaukee's cornerstone summer celebration,” sponsors say it “attracts the music industry's hottest stars, emerging talent and local favorites.” The Marcus Amphitheater and ten additional stages, along with a diverse selection of food and beverage vendors, marketplaces and interactive exhibits, are set against Lake Michigan and downtown backdrops, “creating a festival experience like no other.” More? www.Summerfest.com.

A coveted prize at the 51st annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival was a scholarship certificate – one of the ten – to attend one of Larry Wines' workshop / seminars. To accommodate the winners of the festival's top prizes, one more local offering of the "media workshop / seminar” – and probably the last one for quite a while in the L.A. area – has been scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 7, at 7:30 pm. Musicians, managers and producers, and /or leaders of bands whose members have won or been nominated for music's top awards, including the GRAMMY, Music EMMY and Music OSCAR, have attended previous sessions and voiced acclaim for this workshop / seminar. Larry teaches you how to save your time and your money – and save yourself from the emotional investment you make when you send your CD off for radio play or to hopefully get a review, but then you hear nothing – no reply, nothing, not even an acknowledgment they received it. There are specific techniques that get results, and Larry knows and teaches them. Moreover, his techniques comprise a plan that you can put to work in your music career. An award winning editor, journalist, and broadcaster, Larry knows the media from the inside. He's been on the “receiving end” of artists' materials and appeals for years. He knows what works and what doesn't, and WHY. It often has little to do with how good your music is, or how much money you spent recording your new CD (or tracks for sale as downloads). Larry teaches you what's truly effective, how to get results, and how to do it without spending your way to the poorhouse. This is likely to be the last offering in the L.A. area for a while. The workshop (it's really a very formidable seminar) runs three hours with a break halfway through. If that sounds like a lot of time, ask how much of an investment you're willing to make in your arts career. And ask anyone who attended the last time. They'll tell you that everyone stayed for more conversation after the session ended, and they stayed until the venue closed and they had to leave. “This really pumps-up your enthusiasm, as well as adding immeasurably to your useful knowledge and skill sets,” says Duane Thorin, who produces and presents many workshops for artists. Duane adds, “This is a real bargain for all you get. It's worth a whole lot more than it costs.” What you get is formidable. You get the whole thing on a CD, at the conclusion of the evening. In addition to the entire, 161-slide PowerPoint™ presentation, the disc contains 22 supportive pdf documents, from full-size, full-color one-sheets and bios to multipage detailed explanations of techniques and key points to formulate your own plan. The workshop / seminar is Tuesday evening, June 7, and starts promptly at 7:30 pm. It's at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Ave, Altadena 91001. Reservations are strongly recommended, since the session is limited to 30 people. And advance reservations get a discount. Make your reservation at tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com. Advance registration is $35, or $45 at the door if any spaces remain. You owe it to yourself, and the hopes and dreams you have for your music career, to experience this.

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||>♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ The LATEST EDITION of THE GUIDE, with the NEWS FEATURES, THE SCENE, SPOTLIGHTED EVENTS, & THE VENUE DIRECTORY – what it takes to bring you the world of current acoustic music happenings, including "heads up" notices to buy advance tickets for shows likely to sell-outc

Plus VENUES TO HEAR MUSIC OR CONTACT TO GET GIGS, and lots more

– is available 24/7 (& frequently updated!) at ~

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- or follow any of the links in the fifteen web sites and web groups that carry the Guide’s weekly News Features.

SPOTLIGHT EVENTS are limited in this edition to a slight extension of events near and on THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND

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Elsewhere... Fri-Mon, May 27-30; in Seattle; festival:Annual NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL with well over 20 stages, many workshops, and the most beautiful outdoor/indoor festival site in America, at Seattle Center (the preserved former World's Fair site) in Seattle, Washington. (We ran a major feature a few weeks back, available in the archive at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/05/acoustic-americana-music-guide-previews.html.)

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Elsewhere:In Texas... the Annual “KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL” is in the midst of its THREE-WEEK run...

We're blessed by and crazy with FESTIVALS Saturday & Sunday, with one of 'em running through Monday. Allllllll the basic details are below, along with weekend concerts, and MORE detail is in this week's News Edition!

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~ Friday, May 27... get warmed up for the weekend o' festivals with a concert! ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

Fri, May 27:7:30 pm DUANE THORIN provides the song and music part of a variety show at The Ice House Annex, 24 N Mentor Av, Pasadena. The show includes a magician and comedian. Cover charge $12.50, plus a 2 drink minimum.

Sat & Sun, May 28 & 29, festival:10:30 am-8 pm 22nd Annual “SIMI VALLEY CAJUN & BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL” in Rancho Santa Susana Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Av, Simi Valley 93063; info and parking / shuttle directions are at www.simicajun.org. Note the name change. Blues are taken seriously here; the festival is a member of the Blues Foundation. But don't think for a moment that the Cajun and zydeco entertainers are anything but the best, as well. See this week's #1 News Feature (in The Guide's News Edition). Briefly, there are two stages, both with the full-scale festival sound and lights package, plus dance floors at each, and plenty of N'Awlins style cuisine and some cool vendors. On the Cajun Creole Stage, catch BILLY LEE & THE SWAMP CRITTERS, ANDRE THIERRY & ZYDECO MAGIC, BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO, LIL POOKIE & THE ZYDECO SENSATIONS, and more. On the Blues Stage, catch THE 44s, LOS FABULOCOS FEATURING KID RAMOS, MIKEY JR. & THE STONE COLD BLUES, ARTHUR ADAMS, ANA POPOVIC, THE MANNISH BOYS with TRACY NELSON, RUSTY ZINN, LYNWOOD SLIM, THE KING BROTHERS, BOB CORRITORE, PETER DAMMANN, JOHN NEMETH, and more. This is always a fine event, lots of fun, and it benefits a number of local charities and youth organizations.

Sat, Sun, & Mon, May 28-30, festival:10 am-7 pm 38th annual “TOPANGA DAYS COUNTRY FAIR” at the Topanga Community Center fairgrounds, 1440 N Topanga Canyon Bl, Topanga, midway between the 101 and PCH. It's “One of the most celebrated country fairs in Southern California,” each year bringing three stages of music and more for Memorial Day Weekend. Musical headliners include the FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS, JOHN MAYALL, MAGGIE MAYALL, JIM MESSINA, THE STRAY CATS’ LEE ROCKER, & YESTERDAY’S CHILD. (We ran a major feature a few weeks back, available in the archive at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/05/acoustic-americana-music-guide-previews.html.) General admission is $20. A discount is offered to members of the military and Topanga Community Center at $15; children ages 6-12 & seniors are $10.

Tue, May 31:8 pm BRUCE COCKBURN and his band, plus JENNY SCHEINMAN opening, in a McCabe’s / Goldenvoice co-presentation at The El Rey Theatre, 5515 Wilshire Bl, L.A.; 323-936-4790; www.theelrey.com. Tix are $35, but buy direct from McCabe’s and save a bundle: TicketMaster is levying a $12.90 PER TICKET fee (compared to McCabe’s $4 PER ORDER surcharge) meaning that you'll save over $20 on a pair from McCabe’s online (not in the shop). This is a seated, general admission show, and McCabe’s has a limited number of tickets available through this arrangement, so don't delay.

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“VENUE DIRECTORY” - The Guide’s extensive locator – has location and contact info for OVER 500 acoustic-music-friendly venues in Southern California, from Santa Barbara County to south Orange County, plus a few for San Diego, the deserts, and the Central Coast.

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UPDATED EDITIONS bring more (always more -- as we have time to organize all of it).

We do all we can to bring you news and notices of all the many, many, acoustic music events in and around Los Angeles.

Plus, we tell you about RADIO SHOWS with acoustic music, focusing on those with live acoustic performances. (They’re available mostly on the web, of course, since we are in acoustic-music-radio-deprived Los Angeles.)

And, we bring news and reviews of the many acoustic music FESTIVALS near and far, hither and yon, here, there and everywhere! With your help, we’ll keep doing it!

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THE LATEST EDITION of the Guide, the NEWS FEATURES, THE SCENE, and SPOTLIGHTED EVENTS, covering the world of current acoustic music happenings, including “heads up” notices to buy advance tix for shows likely to sell-out – and lots more – is available 24/7 (& frequently updated!) at

www.acousticmusic.net or at www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com

- or by following any of many links on the web to get to one of those sites.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

FESTIVALS! FESTIVALS! Music Festival season is upon us – perhaps with a vengeance, if Saturday's scheduled apocalypse arrives. So, if it does, we're wasting our time letting you know about all the acoustic music events that happen from Sunday, onward. But we don't expect some emphatic fanatic to interrupt your plans, or ours...

It begins FRIDAY evening, May 20, with the twice-annual “PASADENA ART NIGHT,” when a variety of arts institutions and museums open their doors with free admission from 6-10 pm. Free shuttle buses connect many of Pasadena's museums, art institutions, and performance venues. The Gold Line light rail's Memorial Park Station is the best way to get there, and the train accommodates your bike, so you can use the free event map and make it a bicycle tour. Plenty of info at www.artnightpasadena.orgwww.artnightpasadena.org .

SATURDAY, you can choose between the 14th annual “DOHENY BLUES FESTIVAL” in Dana Point, or the 2nd annual “SILVER LAKE JUBILEE MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL” (formerly the SUNSET JUNCTION FESTIVAL) on Myra Avenue at Sunset Boulevard, in the Silver Lake District of Los Angeles. Both the Doheny and Silver Lake festivals run Saturday AND Sunday, May 21 & 22, and this edition has feature stories on both.

SUNDAY, the “L.A. ACOUSTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL” returns after a year of hiatus, with music on a FREE outdoor stage, accessible to all, plus the main event indoors (which has only a few remaining tickets). The indoor show brings performances by folk-Americana stars ELLIS PAUL, ELIZA GILKYSON, JIMMY LaFAVE, and SARAH LEE GUTHRIE & JOHNNY IRION. See the separate News Feature, below, for details on this indoor-and-outdoor festival at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

SUNDAY, down in Orange County, is the “HERITAGE MUSEUM MUSIC FESTIVAL” with STEPHANIE BETTMAN & LUKE HALPIN, the DENNIS ROGER REED BAND, and FOLDING MR. LINCOLN, at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana. See the separate News Feature, below, for more.

TUESDAY – this week, the weekend doesn't end Sunday night – catch a musical celebration evening for BOB DYLAN's birthday, with performances by “Folk Legend” honoree ROSS ALTMAN and friends. It's at the Talking Stick in Santa Monica, and we bring you a feature in this edition on that event, too. (There's a competing event at the same time to celebrate Bob Dylan's birthday at the GRAMMY Museum; that's in last week's edition.)

SUNDAY'S “L.A. ACOUSTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL" OFFERS FREE OUTDOOR SHOW AND TICKETED INDOOR SHOW

Returning after a year of hiatus, this is a big-deal one-day event, a benefit for the nonprofit California Acoustic Music Project, and co-presented this time by Bodie House Music and the Levitt Pavilions. The outdoor – FREE – part runs 2 to 7 pm, and includes music, vendors with food, wine, beer, and more, all in the parking lot and around the outside of the theatre building, and stars JOEL RAFAEL and SARAH LEE GUTHRIE & JOHNNY IRION. You'll find continuous live music, an instrument petting zoo, jamming tent, and more, thanks to presenting partner Levitt Pavilions. The inside – ticketed – part of the music festival is on the Broad Stage. The indoor concert starts at 4 pm and runs 'til 8:30 pm, with ELLIS PAUL, ELIZA GILKYSON, JIMMY LaFAVE, and RIBBON OF HIGHWAY, ENDLESS SKYWAY. A few tickets remain at press time. This year has a unifying theme: "In the Spirit of Woody Guthrie," and that's how the festival appears on the venue's website, so don't get confused. The venue – the Broad Stage Theatre – is the centerpiece of the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center (address below). Even before we knew the lineup, we were comfortable recommending it as a "Show-of-the-Week" pick, given the talent that producer RENEE BODIE booked the first year. Plus, this is a MUCH more manageable venue where costs can be contained and ticket prices have been kept to more reasonable limits. TICKETS are available at three levels: Premier $75; Level A $60; Levels B & C $47. All tickets include access to all main stage performances.

Info on the festival's beneficiary, the California Acoustic Music Project, is at www.californiaacousticmusicproject.org. Complete info on the L.A. Acoustic Music Festival is available on their website at www.laacousticmusicfestival.com.

The venue is the Broad Stage Theatre, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica 90401. The few remaining tickets are available at www.thebroadstage.com/woodywww.thebroadstage.com/woody .

We don't much about this festival, but we do know the artists playing it are wonderful. If you go, you'll hear and enjoy STEPHANIE BETTMAN & LUKE HALPIN, the DENNIS ROGER REED BAND, and FOLDING MR. LINCOLN. It's at the Heritage Museum of Orange County, 3101 West Harvard St, Santa Ana 92704; 714-540-04040.

“FOREVER YOUNG: BOB DYLAN’S FOLK YEARS 1961-1964” is “a 70th birthday party in absentia” hosted by ROSS ALTMAN from 7-10 pm at The Talking Stick, 1411 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica; 310-450-6052. Admission is $10. Featured musicians include CAROLYN HESTER accompanied by daughters KARLA & AMY BLUME, plus Civil Rights veteran LEN CHANDLER, and ANDY HILL & RENEE SAFIER, PAUL ZOLLO, JEFF GOLD, JILL FENIMORE, DADDY BONE, JOHN KELLER, ANDY MANOFF and DENNIS DAVIS. Each will do Dylan songs, emphasizing his early ones. Bob Dylan is America's greatest living songwriter, so this select group of Los Angeles-based performers marking his milestone birthday is not just fitting – it's an homage with meaning to listeners and musicians alike. The ensemble will take turns singing Dylan's groundbreaking early protest songs, his love songs and his poetic masterpieces that, as Altman explains, “expanded the vocabulary of what could be done in songwriting.” Dylan's fellow Broadside recording artist LEN CHANDLER is a most notable participant, among several with Dylan connections. CAROLYN HESTER gave Dylan his first big break in New York City by inviting him to play harmonica on her early Columbia Records’ album. That session marked Dylan's first appearance on a record and led to his own contract with the label. Chandler, the renowned topical songwriter and civil rights activist, joined Dylan as an artist in the pages of SIS CUNNINGHAM and GORDON FRIESEN's “Broadside Magazine,” where Dylan's iconic song, “Blowing In the Wind” was first published. Los Angeles folk singer ROSS ALTMAN, recipient of the coveted “Legend” Award given once each year by the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival, will host and perform in the show. Ross will bring what he's calling “a small folk song army” of other veteran L.A. performers, including ANDY HILL & RENEE SAFIER (producers of Dylanfest); PAUL ZOLLO, whose bestselling book based on many interviews with Dylan reveals new insights into the man's craft and art; plus performances by musicians JEFF GOLD, JILL FENIMORE, DADDY BONE, JOHN KELLER, ANDY MANOFF and DENNIS DAVIS. Beyond the obvious anniversary, Altman says there's more. “The purpose of the celebration is to highlight Dylan's breakthrough early folk period, which helped to launch the modern folk revival in Greenwich Village, New York. Out of this extraordinary renaissance of political and later personal songwriting, spearheaded by Dylan and others collectively known as 'Woody's Children' [referring to Woody Guthrie] the soundtrack of a decade of change in the 1960s was born. Dylan's own anthem, 'The Times, They Are a' Changing,' gave voice to a new generation dedicated to social change in both the civil rights and antiwar movements.” These and many other Dylan songs will be sung in an extraordinary evening of music and recollections. Altman adds, “While Mr. Dylan will not be there, his spirit will certainly pervade the coffeehouse in both poetry and song.” He concludes, “There will be a birthday cake for all to share, along with many chances to sing along for those so inclined. For those who have been inspired by Bob Dylan’s voice and songs for the better part of their adult lives, for whom his well known signature lines, such as 'Don’t follow leaders, watch the parking meters,' 'to live outside the law you must be honest,' and 'money doesn’t talk, it swears' are chapter headings in a moral dictionary, this evening will be a welcome opportunity to revel in the fellowship of like-minded fans and friends.” In addition to whatever other celebrations are happening to mark his birthday in other cities, we reported last week on a competing event with a similar title here in L.A. That one is “FOREVER YOUNG: CELEBRATING BOB DYLAN'S 70th BIRTHDAY” at the GRAMMY Museum at 7:30 pm, on the same night of May 24 (it was last week's news feature #12). The Museum event is free, but requires tickets; there may still be a few seats available by calling 213-765-6800 or e-mail programs@grammymuseum.org. Both Dylan events happening on the date of his birthday, the 24th, follow last weekend's annual DYLANFEST, which we featured in advance. That festival's producers, RENE SAFIER & ANDY HILL (who, as noted above, will perform at Ross Altman's event) again assembled some of L.A.'s best session players and touring folk-Americana artists for an entire day of Dylan originals, with no repeats. Clearly, Bob Dylan's influence endures, across multiple generations, as strong as ever.

There's quite a lineup, reaching across the genres of the blues, and the hedliners include JOHN FOGERTY, MAVIS STAPLES, THE TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND, TERRANCE SIMIEN & THE ZYDECO EXPRESS, DOUG MacLEOD, the original BLASTERS with DAVE & PHIL ALVIN, plus there's WALTER TROUT, and more. This is always a big deal on the Southern Cal blues calendar, and just part of the lineup hints at why. Tickets and all the info are at www.OmegaEvents.comwww.OmegaEvents.com . If you go, catch the “After Party” on Saturday night, with the BILLY WATSON TRIO on stage at the newly renovated OverVue Lounge, inside the Laguna Cliffs Marriott in Dana Point. The party is free and starts around 10 pm. It's directly across the festival grounds.

This one is quite eclectic. The 2nd annual “Silver Lake Jubilee Music & Arts Festival” happens Saturday & Sunday, May 21 & 22, outdoors on Myra Avenue at Sunset Boulevard in the Silver Lake District of Los Angeles. Family-friendly daytime programming offers an interactive and educational experience with a children's village and eco grove, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with the mars rover, arts and crafts, and kid's music sessions. There are 50+ bands, comedy and theatrical performances, literary readings and book signings, Eco and Children’s Villages, film screenings, gourmet food trucks, beer gardens, street art, and a variety of craft vendors. Silver Lake Jubilee was created to showcase the unique artistic character of the community and features music, art, literature, theater, and educational activities for people of all ages. Proceeds support the Los Angeles Arts and Athletics Alliance (LAAAA) in its mission to promote the importance of a lifelong engagement with arts and athletics. In addition, the event features a literary stage with readings by community and established authors, theater, art installations, and comedy curated by Iliza Shlesinger. Expanding upon the success of last year's environmental initiatives, Silver Lake Jubilee is working with Sustain L.A. to implement a zero-waste program, including recycling and banning Styrofoam, single-use plastic bags, and plastic water bottles. In 2010, the event saved 30,000 single-use plastic bottles, contributing to an 80% landfill diversion rate. Live music includes performances by Jenni Alpert, The Hollow Trees, Very Be Careful, Silver Lake Conservatory of Music, One Trick Pony, and a wild and wide range of others that include Geotic, Ceci Bastida, Ximena Sariñana, We Are The World, Crystal Antlers, The Little Ones, Rainbow Arabia, Lady Danville, Summer Darling, The Black Apples, Jail Weddings, Slang Chickens, Dante Vs. Zombies, Black Flamingo, Love Grenades, Twilight Sleep, The Finches, Races (formerly Black Jesus), Audacity, TRMRS, Restavrant, Killsonic, Tommy Santee Klaws, Las Cafeteras, SISU, Future Ghost, Marvelous Toy, boxViolet, Cobra Lilies, Pangea, Kazai Rex, Jeans Wilder, Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band, The Sweat Spot, and Public School ROCKZ (Marshall High, King Middle, Ivanhoe Elementary). As we said, quite eclectic. This year’s proceeds will benefit programs including lacrosse, graffiti art, music, writing and publishing, healthy living, and sustainability. “We’re excited to support these great causes,” organizers say, “because that’s what Silver Lake is all about.” Complete info at silverlakejubilee.com/homesilverlakejubilee.com/homesilverlakejubilee.com/homesilverlakejubilee.com/home .

Okay, so everybody seems to be having fun with the goofy preacher and his billboards proclaiming that the world will end on Saturday at 6 pm (time zone not specified). Southern Cal-based Irish band PADDY'S PIG is taking advantage of the planet's final moments to release their new CD, appropriately titled, “Do Your Worst,” with an 8 pm show at the Tam O’Shanter, 2980 Los Feliz Bl, In Los Feliz (Los Angeles) 90039; venue info, www.lawrysonline.comwww.lawrysonline.com . The new CD has 18 tracks, including four new original songs, one of them the title track that they've been playing live for the past few months, three other new songs they say you haven’t heard yet, and “a slew” of traditional songs and instrumentals, including “Whiskey You’re The Devil”, “Mick McGuire,” and more, plus “a couple of choice cover tunes.” They invite you to spend your final hours anticipating driverless cars and the zombie invasion by picking up “a couple of copies, a couple of pints, and the great Tam O’Shanter potato salad and slaw.” Oh, and if any of us are still here past Saturday, PADDY'S PIG is playing the “CARLSBAD BEACH FEST” on June 4 at 1 pm, followed by a 9 pm set at O’Sullivan’s in Carlsbad. More on the band – Missy, Mike, Damon, and Marty, aka Paddy’s Pig – at www.paddyspigla.comwww.paddyspigla.comwww.paddyspigla.comwww.paddyspigla.com .

A coveted prize at the 51st annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival was a scholarship certificate – one of the ten – to attend one of Larry Wines' workshop / seminars. To accommodate the winners of the festival's top prizes, one more local offering of the "media workshop / seminar” – and probably the last one for quite a while in the L.A. area – has been scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 7, at 7:30 pm. Musicians, managers and producers who have won or been nominated for music's top awards, including the GRAMMY, EMMY, and ANNIE, have attended previous sessions and voiced acclaim for this workshop / seminar. Larry teaches you how to save your time and your money – and save yourself from the emotional investment you make when you send your CD off for radio play or a review, then hear nothing – no reply, nothing. There are specific techniques that get results, and Larry knows and teaches them. Moreover, his techniques comprise a plan that you can put to work in your music career. An award winning editor, journalist, and broadcaster, Larry knows the media from the inside. He's been on the “receiving end” of artists' materials and appeals for years. He knows what works and what doesn't, and WHY. It often has little to do with how good your music is, or how much money you spent recording your new CD (or tracks for sale as downloads). He can teach you what's truly effective, how to get results, and how to do it without spending your way to the poorhouse. This is likely to be the last offering in the L.A. Area for a while. The workshop (it's really a very formidable seminar) runs three hours with a break halfway through. If that sounds like a lot of time, ask how much of an investment you're willing to make in your arts career. And ask anyone who attended the last time. They'll tell you that everyone stayed for more conversation after the session ended, and they stayed until the venue closed and they had to leave. “This really pumps-up your enthusiasm, as well as adding immeasurably to your useful knowledge and skill sets,” says Duane Thorin, who produces and presents many workshops for artists. Duane adds, “This is a real bargain for all you get. It's worth a whole lot more than it costs.” What you get is formidable. You get the whole thing on a CD, at the conclusion of the evening. In addition to the entire, 161-slide PowerPoint™ presentation, the disc contains 22 supportive pdf documents, from full-size, full-color one-sheets and bios to multipage detailed explanations of techniques and key points to formulate your own plan. The workshop / seminar is Tuesday evening, June 7, and starts promptly at 7:30 pm. It's at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Ave, Altadena 91001. Reservations are strongly recommended, since the session is limited to 30 people. And advance reservations get a discount. Make your reservation at tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com. Advance registration is $35, or $45 at the door if any spaces remain. You owe it to yourself, and the hopes and dreams you have for your music career, to experience this.

Just announced at press time was the anticipated assurance that late summer 2011 will bring a return of a fine folk-Americana / raucous-old-time / honkytonk-heaven fandango, as the 2nd year of “Roots Roadhouse.” Presumably, it's back at the Echoplex in Echo Park, and the exact date was not given. Producers tell us, “We'll be doing tiered tickets again, as the day gets closer, the tix will get more expensive, so get them early!” Tickets are available now for just $10 with a password, at www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetailwww.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail . Confirmed to perform, so far:EILEN JEWELL, THE SADIES, OLD MAN MARKLEY, BIG SANDY & HIS FLYRITE BOYS, JACKSH*T, WHITE MORGAN, BRENNAN LEIGH, EASTSIDE HAYRIDE, OLENTANGY JOHN, and THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS. They tell us that they'll add more bands. We'll keep you posted.

The GRAMMY Museum has just announced that its Artist Archiving Division has launched a new Asset Discovery & Development Division to aid in the historical preservation of artifacts, and the museum will present an Asset Discovery & Development Seminar on Tuesday, June 14, 2011, from 10 am to noon in the museum's Clive Davis Theater. The new division is “designed to archive and develop an artist’s legacy for historical preservation. Asset Discovery & Development is devoted to building artifact databases for a wide-range of musical artists.” The June event is described as “ground-breaking and informative,” and it's free. The event features the museum's Executive Director Bob Santelli, together with External Affairs Director Tracy Strann, Archivist Bob Pfeifer, leading entertainment attorney Peter Paterno (King, Holmes, Paterno & Berliner, LLP), and Jeff Anthony, Vice President of Iron Mountain Film & Sound Archives, plus Darren Julien, the President/CEO of Julien’s Auctions. Working as a panel, the distinguished group will outline the process of archiving as well as educate attendees in how to effectively preserve and potentially monetize an artist’s collection. Following the presentation, guests will have the opportunity ask specific questions pertaining to their individual interests and speak one-on-one with each of the panelists. “Most artists have a storage warehouse, a garage, or an attic full of potentially deteriorating memorabilia that reflects their life’s work,” says Executive Director Bob Santelli. “Asset discovery and development is critical to its preservation. Our mission is to not only preserve musical history, but assist in facilitating the artists’ legacy for future generations to discover and enjoy.” The museum's new department has three components, including Asset Discovery, Asset Management, and Business Development. The GRAMMY Museum is located within the L.A. Live complex at 800 W. Olympic Bl, Suite A245, (though you enter from the Figueroa side) in downtown Los Angeles 90015. The Museum, adjacent to STAPLES Center, is open seven days a week. The GRAMMY Museum celebrates the power of music from songwriting and producing to the interconnected histories of more than 160 music genres. Happily, there's a surprising amount of important folk-Americana material exhibited. At its core, the Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music; the creative process; the art and technology of the recording process; and the history of the GRAMMY Awards, the premier recognition of recorded music accomplishment. There's plenty of info about the museum at www.grammymuseum.orgwww.grammymuseum.org . To make reservations for the free seminar on June 14, contact Tracy Strann, Director, External Affairs, at 213-763-2108 or tstrann@grammymuseum.orgtstrann@grammymuseum.org .

Saturday, July 23, 2011, is the date for the 16th annual North Hollywood summer event. As always, it's a benefit for ARC – the center that assists retarded citizens. It will start at 5:45 pm and, if past years are an indication, likely reach way into the night. Some of Southern California's notable acoustic musicians and bands are booked to perform, including SIERRA HIGHWAY, WILLIE AMES, JOE CANDIDO, KATY KERR, and SIMPLY MARIE. For now, organizers want you to save the date; they promise more details to come.

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Friday, May 13, 2011

(Note: this edition was published ON TIME in the 14 other websites / webgroups where it appears. Blogspot was down for most of three days with "maintenance issues," so the time & date tag here are late. BUT the NEWS is still VERY current, especially the amazing events and concerts and festivals THIS WEEKEND!)

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Holy crap, Batman! The coming weekend is FULL of great things and they’re so affordable we can do a BUNCH of ’em!

For many years, we’ve called it the best one-day folk-Americana festival in Southern California. This year, The Guide is especially proud to be there, with a booth as an official sponsor. Drop by and say howdy, and pick up info on the next “How to Work the Media – a Workshop for Artists,” and more. We invited another sponsor of the event, the Coffee Gallery / Coffee Gallery Backstage, to share our booth, and SongNet – the nonprofit Songwriter’s Network, which has a pair of very accessible monthly events at that venue – will be on hand in our booth, as well. The big day runs 9 am-6 pm at Paramount Ranch near Agoura Hills, in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area. It’s a beautiful place administered by the National Park Service. “Southern California’s favorite Bluegrass, Old-Time & Folk Music Event” features contests for players of all kinds of acoustic instruments – it draws competitors from several western states – plus professional musicians perform scheduled sets on three stages, and there’s a whole lotta jammin’ goin’ on beneath the oak trees and on the porches in the “old west” town. There are many facets. Since its inception in 1961, the event has always ranked high on the roots music calendar as an always-anticipated old-time, bluegrass, folk song, folk dancing and crafts festival. It’s easy to find yourself dashing from stage to stage to catch favorite performers – or settling in at any one stage to be thoroughly entertained (or jamming until your fingers go numb) without going anywhere else. In addition to the stages and jams happening everywhere, there are the Dance Barn and the Children's area, all within the western movie sets and adjacent oak-tree-covered mountain locations. Bring your instruments and sit in, or enjoy the contestants who pre-registered for the prestigious competitions. Here are some highlights. The Main Stage: Over 100 instrumental and singing contestants, plus performances by DUSTBOWL CAVALIERS, HABERDASHERY ENSEMBLE, FRANK FAIRFIELD, SCOTT GATES & THE SALTY SUITES. Dance Barn: Band Playoffs, Clogging, Square Dancing, Contra Dancing – all backed with live music by TRIPLE CHICKEN FOOT and OLD SLEDGE. Pavilion Stage: Beginner Instrument Playoffs, plus scheduled shows by OLD SLEDGE – roots & history of string band music; MIKE MAHANEY & FRIENDS – cowboy music & poetry show; FUR DIXON & STEVE WERNER – “songs of the open road.” Railroad Stage: Traditional Singing Playoffs, Intermediate Fiddle Playoffs, plus scheduled shows by EVIE LADEN – old-time banjo and songs; EVAN MARSHALL – “Mr. Solo Mandolin;” SUSIE GLAZE & HILONESOME – mountain music; ROSS ALTMAN – the walking encyclopedia of labor and protest songs. Eucalyptus Grove: “Family Fun” with “new, expanded programs in the grove,” including organized jams and sing-alongs, beginning at 11 am, with “Folk Songs with FUR & STEVE (aka FUR DIXON & STEVE WERNER),” “Kids Crafts with ALAINA SMITH,” DAN, THE FIDDLE MAN, SOUTHWEST FIDDLERS, SCOTTISH FIDDLERS, OLD-TIME FIDDLE WORKSHOP, OLD-TIME BANJO WORKSHOP, CELTIC SLOW SESSION, HAWAIIAN SONGS – UKES & GUITARS. This stage includes the long-running Kids Program, ever-popular Arts & Crafts for young children, and youth-oriented traditional music. ADVANCE TICKETS are available online at a discount, and you can get directions and lots more info at www.topangabanjofiddle.org. Tix at the gate cost more on the day of the event. Online ticket prices are lower this year than last, with tix this year at $10 for ages 18-64 ($15 at gate), and $8 for ages 10-17 or over age 65 ($10 at gate). No charge for children under age 10. Free parking, free shuttle bus to the gate.

This Thursday, May 12, at 8 pm, the UCLA Live series welcomes New Orleans’ own PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND teamed-up with bluegrass legends and fellow GRAMMY winners THE DEL McCOURY BAND in a stellar double-bill in Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A. Info on parking, online ticket purchase and more is available at www.uclalive.org. Live info at 310-825-4401, and the UCLA ticket office number is 310-825-2101. Two pillars of American music from two distinct lineages come together for a wonderfully unlikely evening “to celebrate the glory of tradition and the power of newfound collaboration.” Starting as a sideman to BILL MONROE – the legendary “father of bluegrass” – nearly 50 years ago, DEL McCOURY has spent years broadening the audience for the genre. Throughout the same period, the legendary PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND has defined the tradition of New Orleans jazz. Now, they have converged to perform – and record(!) – an unforgettable mix of bluegrass and traditional jazz. We got an advance copy of that new collaborative album, “American Legacies: Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Del McCoury Band.” It’s twelve tracks and 47 minutes of rollickin’ good time, and the CD will be available at the concert. Wait’ll you hear “Jambalaya” with horns and “I’ll Fly Away” with piano and tuba! Each band will play individual sets, followed by a promised “soul-stirring joint finale.” If the Cd is any indication, that’s guaranteed. Tix, $38-63 ($15 for UCLA students).

“6th EVER LOS ANGELES OLD TIME SOCIAL” IS THURSDAY-SATURDAY, MAY 12-14

Blazing fast old time music is the hottest thing going these days, as proven by last month’s “Railroad Revival Tour” with OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW, MUMFORD & SONS, and EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS, which included a big, outdoor, sold-out show at Ports o’ Call in San Pedro, as the tour made its way to New Orleans aboard 15 classic railroad passenger cars from the great “name” trains. Whether you were there or not, if you know anything about “old time music,” you know it’s infectious. You need to get yourself to the Old Time Social. The brainchild of L.A.-based band TRIPLE CHICKEN FOOT, it’s a Thursday-and-Friday-evening-plus-all-day-Saturday bit o’ genius that mates perfectly with Sunday’s Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival. Seems that six years back, “The Foot’s” BEN GUZMAN and his pals noted that the famed Topanga Banjo fete was a one-day affair, and people were coming from everywhere for it, anyway. Hence, why not create an event that could stand on its own, and attract the “TBFC” crowd before Sunday? The oddly but aptly named Old Time Social was the result, and it took only a couple of years to get the format set. Thursday night is the Social’s “Kick Off Party” at HM157, 3130 N Broadway, L.A. 90031. Performing are WALTER SPENCER, THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS, & THE MODAL TEASE STRING BAND. The Kick Off kicks-off at 8 pm, and it’s just $5. The Social’s Friday Concert stars GENE BURDO with TOM SAUBER, EVIE LADIN, & OLD SLEDGE. It’s at the Velaslavasay Panorama, 1122 West 24th St, L.A. 90007; www.panoramaonview.org. The concert is at 8 pm, and tickets are $15. Saturday events run all day and include a Family Dance, Cakewalk, Squaredance, and a bunch of Workshops. $15 gets you as many workshops as you can take, AND it gets you into the dance. Saturday events are at Nomad Studios, 1993 Blake Ave, L.A. 90039. And, as always, the Social’s music makers will follow-up by attending and jamming nonstop at the 51st Annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival on Sunday. But let’s not rush past the mention of Saturday’s possibilities. The event’s organizers say, “The BEST part about the L.A. Old Time Social, besides the Cakewalk, of course, is all of the amazing workshops and instructors, Saturday, 11 am-7 pm.” Check out the list of classes, covering a wide range of instrumentation and dance styles for all skill levels of old time music, and sign up, at www.oldtimeisagoodtime.com/?p=834.

From 12:30-8 pm, some of L.A.’s best musicians will play their annual homage to one of the most iconic musical figures of the past half century, right near his birthday, in the year that he turns (gasp) 70. The "21st annual DYLANFEST" returns to St. Anthony Elementary School, 233 Lomita St, in El Segundo, and as always, a portion of the proceeds benefit the school. Still, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are available, along with food (it’s a private school). Stellar musicians BOB MALONE, MARTY RIFKIN, KAREN NASH, JULIE LONG, HWY 61 REVISITED, THE 8-TRACKS, and JACK MCGEE will all play – along with MANY others. Over 50 musicians will take the stage during the event. Musical hosts and event founders ANDY HILL & RENEE SAFIER will perform with and without their band, HARD RAIN. Andy & Renee script and direct this thing to assure that over 60 songs from Dylan's vast catalogue are performed, with no repeats. The fest is outside, adjacent to the gym, rain or shine. Watch a clip from past years at www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsZhj35CVpc&feature=related. You’ll get a wristband that allows easy re-entry, so you can leave early, or come late, or leave for dinner and return (even though they have food there). Tables and chairs are available, but you may bring a beach chair for seating. Admission is $25 for adults; children ages 6-12 are $10. Andy and Renee say, “All ages are welcome...bring the kids and introduce them to LIVE MUSIC!” Get tickets and more info at www.andyandrenee.com. In addition to this Dylan event and the one ROSS ALTMAN held recently, the GRAMMY Museum has one on May 24; see News Feature # 11.

World traveling troubadour BUTCH HANCOCK hails from the Lubbock, Texas, music scene that gave the world JOE ELY and JIMMIE DALE GILMORE, his equally eclectic colleagues in THE FLATLANDERS. Butch is one of contemporary music's most entertaining raconteurs and his tunes evoke mystical visions of wind-swept dry plains with profoundly imaginative lyrics. Indeed, his words-set-to-music, with their creative irony and metaphors, often evoke the miracles that occur in the ordinary. Rolling Stone magazine describes Butch Hancock as "a raspy-voiced West Texas mystic with an equal affinity for romantic border balladry and Zen paradox." A world-traveling troubadour with a long string of recorded songs and albums, Butch has been called "one of the finest songwriters of our time" and is acknowledged by his peers and critics alike as one of the premiere singer-songwriters Texas has ever produced. His lyrical style has often been compared to that of BOB DYLAN and to WOODY GUTHRIE. His record, “Own and Own,” released in 1991, contains his original "If I Were a Bluebird" – a song later covered by EMMYLOU HARRIS. During his acclaimed career, Hancock has written and recorded several landmark albums, some of them sparse and simple, others as big as the West Texas sky. After moving to the progressive country hotbed of Austin in the mid ’70s, he started his own label, Rainlight, and in 1978 released the quintessential “West Texas Waltzes and Dust-Blown Tractor Tunes.” In the years that followed he continued to release albums steeped with meaning and memory, a foundation that cemented his world-wide reputation as a master wordsmith. In 1990, Hancock and more than two dozen musician friends staged an event that he’ll tell you was worthy of the Guinness Book of World Records. Entitled “No Two Alike” they played six straight nights of live performances in Austin's famed Cactus Café, recording 140 of Hancock’s originals without repeating a single song. He released the staggering output later in the year as the “No Two Alike Tape of the Month Club.” In 2010, Butch reprised the event, this time entitling it “No Two More Alike.” Fans from as far as Tokyo were on hand, representing a measure of the devotion Hancock’s singular compositions inspire. This is a show that shouldn’t be missed. Venue impresario BOB STANE says, “Butch Hancock is a very big deal. Other acts are asking me how I got him to sign on the dotted line. Big stagecraft guy. See him up close.” Butch Hancock performs Thursday, May 19, at 8 pm at “the venue named in FolkWorks as L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room venue,” the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 91001; reservations 626-794-2424; info www.coffeegallery.com. Tickets, $20.

The two did a show together at Island Bazaar in Huntington BeachReview for The Guide by Geo. McCalip

Island Bazaar, the ukulele store in Huntington Beach, hosted another in their notable and occasional concert series on On Saturday, April 2. This one featured the Western swing sounds of Sid Hausman and Washtub Jerry. Sid, a working cowboy, children’s book illustrator and singer-songwriter, played ukulele and sang. Washtub Jerry accompanied him on the washtub bass. The selection of songs ranged from Ernest Tubb’s “Milles and Miles of Texas” to the Andrews Sisters’ “Houses of Blue Lights” to Woody Guthrie’s “Oklahoma Hills” to Cole Porter’s “Don’t Fence Me In” to Dale Evan’s “Happy Trails.” In addition to the songs, Sid also performed two poems, his own composition “Willie Pickett” and Howard Parker’s “Ranch Women.” For the poetry he accompanied himself on bones. He also told the audience about his new book, Emus and Owlhoots. Along with his story and illustrations, the book also comes with a CD with six songs. Washtub Jerry, or “Wash” has a day job as a NASA engineer at the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, and an engineer’s understanding of music as reflected in his instrument. He uses a Mexican "size 6" tub instead of the American size 3 because it has an extra three inches of diameter. As Wash says, “That gives me a 24-inch woofer.” He went on to explain that he uses a clutch cable from a Porsche 914 for his string and the handle from a Peavey for the neck of the bass. Don’t feel bad if you don’t know what a Peavey is; it took Wash years to find out that the neck for his bass was intended as the handle for a logging tool. For those who think you have to have at least one fiddle to have true Western swing, I would highly recommend that you give a listen to the very pleasant, and unmistakably Western swing, sound of Sid Hausman and Washtub Jerry. And for those who appreciate a variety of music played on the ukulele, the occasional concert series at Island Bazaar features some of the best in a friendly and inviting venue.

The duo played the Caltech Folk Music Society series; Review for The Guide by Geo. McCalip

Some of us who spent time in the Pasadena area in the late ’70s and early ’80s have fond memories of a local pub, The Loch Ness Monster, and particularly of a group that played there, Train to Sligo. GERRY O’BIERNE, who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist in that group, returned to Pasadena on March 19 to perform in a concert presented by the Caltech Folk Music Society. Although born in Ennis, County Clare, along Ireland’s music-rich West Coast, Gerry has since traveled the world and picked up what is, to say the least, a varied repertoire. The fact that he was not performing this concert as part of an Irish group let Gerry demonstrate his versatility and range. ROSIE SHIPLEY accompanied him on fiddle/violin. Rosie’s background in fiddle began with Cape Breton dance tunes, but she had no problem matching Gerry’s diversity of styles. Still, watching her feet made it obvious that you can take the fiddler out of Cape Breton but you can’t take Cape Breton out of the fiddler. The evening featured songs ranging from a beautiful solo by Gerry on 12-string guitar to an Appalachian tune with Rosie’s fiddle and guitar, to an Irish Polka, to a comic song, “Your Red Scarf Matches Your Eyes,” with Gerry on ukulele. Of course, the evening included a medley of Cape Breton tunes. And their rousing performance of “O’Carolan’s Concerto” closed the show. Bringing hometown favorite Gerry O’Bierne back was just the latest of the concerts presented by the good people at the Caltech Folk Music Society. Their monthly concert series consistently features a high caliber of talent.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This coming Saturday, May 14, the Caltech Folk Music Society series presents its May offering, MOLLY’S REVENGE with their frequent musical collaborator MOIRA SMILEY of VOCO fame. They’re touring their brand new album “Aged Ten Years,” and you have a choice of catching them at Caltech on Saturday or the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena this Thursday, May 12. Either way, check the Caltech Folk website, www.folkmusic.caltech.edu for tickets, and to see the great things coming in their series through the 2011 season: there’s ROSALIE SORRELS on June 4; THE SYNCOPATHS (now featuring Western States Picking Champ ASHLEY BRODER) on July 23; LOAFER'S GLORY on August 13; SMALL POTATOES and DAVE MORRISON on October 8; WILLIAM JACKSON & GRNNE HAMBLY on October 29; and KEVIN BURKE on December 3.

Concert at Grace First Presbyterian, Long Beach; Review for The Guide by Geo. McCalip

You might expect a strange fusion when you mix a classically trained violinist with a jazz bass player, an Afro/Latin percussionist and a bluegrass banjo player. Surprisingly, what you get is Sligo Rags, one of the best Irish groups around. The group includes MICHAEL KELLY an accomplished player in country, newgrass, swing, and bebop styles – as well as Irish music; co-vocalist and guitarist, DAVID BURNS, an accomplished banjo and award-winning guitar player and veteran of the Southern California acoustic music scene; GORDON RUSTVOLD, a bass player with a strong background in jazz, country and pop as well as Irish music; and percussionist REID De FEVER on djembe and bongos. On Saturday evening, March 26, the group played at Grace First Presbyterian Church in Long Beach as part of the venue’s ongoing concert series. Putting a group that features songs about drinking and fighting (we did mention they are an Irish band) in a church sanctuary seems about as likely and as workable a combination as the varied backgrounds of the band members. But once again, it worked. You could sense some trepidation when the band did one of their first songs, but as guitarist-vocalist David Burns noted, “Lightning hasn’t struck us down after that one, so we’ll get on with the show.” Get on they did, much to the delight of the audience. The performance featured songs from two of the band’s CDs. “The Whiskey Never Lies” was a FolkWorks top 10 pick in 2007, the same year that the Guide’s editor, writing for FolkWorks, named them among the Top Ten Acoustic Bands in Southern California. The night featured selections from that album and from their new CD, “Roll Me Down the Mountain.” The new album’s material maintains the same high standard. When these guys perform, a good time is had by all. The night’s audience was a mix of church members and visitors. “Grace First” is to be congratulated for hosting the concert series, and has obviously found a way to introduce their church to a much wider audience. The Grace First Presbyterian Church acoustic concert series happens at 3955 Studebaker Rd, Long Beach. Their phone is 562-420-2292. The Guide will bring you word of their upcoming concerts.

You can read Part One in our archive, at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/03/acoustic-americana-music-guide-news_30.html

“I’m like a boomerang. You can throw me away but you bet your ass I’m coming back.” – Kenny Rogers. Last issue, in part one of our feature on KENNY ROGERS from his recent discussion with SCOTT GOLDMAN, vice president of the Grammy Foundation, we looked at parts of Rogers’ career that spans 120+ charted records across six decades, 24 Number One hits, and 165 million records sold. This, time, we’ll look at more of the experiences he finds memorable or meaningful, and the perspectives and attitudes that are evident as he releases his newest album. That new record is a spiritual / gospel project called “The Love of God.” So, one might wonder whether Kenny Rogers has adopted proselytizing from the stage, like so many of today’s country and bluegrass recording artists. Happily, he remains multidimensional, so it’s fun to listen to him talk, as we saw in part one. Mostly, he has avoided being cast in any particular era. Whether consciously or not, he comes across as a guy who’s never lost his sense of wonder. And that always evokes an eternally youthful spirit, in anybody. Still, Rogers is the first to acknowledge his longevity in an often fickle business. He mentions that he had just recorded a TV special, “The First Fifty Years.” At another point, he quoted some of his song lyrics: “Youth only happens to you one time… If you should miss it in your young time, have it when you’re old.” When asked by Goldman about his first solo record deal, with Mercury Records, Rogers replied, “I’d forgotten about that,” but all seemed readily accessible to him. He recalled, “The first time I’d heard ‘Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,’ was on a ROGER MILLER album, and the Mercury A&R guy played it for me.” Of course, the world would remember that song when Kenny Rogers recorded it. There were interesting twists and turns as he learned the workings of the music business. He recalled what happened next. “THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS had been bought from RANDY SPARKS.” (Sparks was the group’s founder, and years later, he again owns the name and his troupe of assembled alumni tour and perform again.) In the ’60s, the young Rogers recalls, “They [the Minstrels] were looking for someone to sing high. That wasn’t what I did. But I auditioned over the phone and got the job.” He smiles as he mentions tours and performances that excited the group, and he moves quickly to a simple explanation of what came next, and how he came to have his own hit band. “THE FIRST EDITION broke out of the group because they wouldn’t let us record. They used studio singers for the Minstrel’s albums.” After that move, things happened fast. “The First Edition had been together all of three weeks when we were on the SMOTHERS BROTHERS Show.” The band would go on to record eight Top Ten records, but those early days had humbling moments. We were on ED SULLIVAN” Rogers recalls. “He was kind of losing it by that time. Ed fell in love with another performer that night – Thelma Camacho – and he introduced The First Edition as ‘Thelma and Her Boys.’” The name by which the band would become famous was KENNY ROGERS & THE FIRST EDITION. “It bothered me when I was the one whose name went up front,” he recalls with some conviction. “I’d been in bands and I knew how it worked. Once somebody does that, you start looking for the breakup. The band lasted several years and produced the first hits still attributed to Rogers as the lead singer. The breakup didn’t come until after their little known cult classic double album, the thematic “Ballad of Calico.” It was a post-Marty Robbins western music album after “country & western” had ceased to be a single genre, and it came from a band that was known as light rockers / pop rockers. Its lyrics were written by MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHY who would forsake the direction of his pop rock hit “Carolina in the Pines” for a beyond-“Wildfire” career in real western music. And it marked the unheralded beginnings of Rogers as a western music star – just one aspect of his multi-track career. Rogers’ roles in the five installments of the TV movie franchise of “The Gambler” would follow, as well as his hosting the History Channel’s “The Real West.” Unfortunately, that pivotal album went unmentioned, so its significance must await another interview, perhaps with The Guide’s editor. Rogers did remain refreshingly accessible on all topics, and still managed to cover the “due diligence” for his new gospel project. He ventured, “I’ve never been overtly religious, but I’ve always been truly spiritual.” He quickly added an aphorism from his mother, “You can never be any more as an adult than you were as a child.” He didn’t cite that as an evocation of Wordsworth, but it would seem his mother knew the poet’s work. Rogers is comfortable with including many asides and quotations from his childhood experiences. That may be because he is happily involved with raising his second set of offspring. He has twin six-year-old boys to which he seems devoted. He works at a recorded set of stories and life lessons he wants to leave them, in case he isn’t there as they grow up. He loves them, yet he quotes someone who expressed, “All six year old boys are criminals.” He adds, “Having kids will either make you or break you. Right now, I’m leaning heavily toward break.” But all his apparent straying is well crafted, to the point of being masterful. He never loses focus on his intended progression of messages. That holds, regardless of what questions he gets from the audience or from his interviewer. He leaves everyone feeling they got the answer to their question, whether or not it was germane to the central topic. Clearly, he could give lessons to politicians in handling an interview and keeping the audience interested. Only once during the evening did Rogers perhaps reveal more than he intended to say. When asked what music he listens to, for enjoyment – he doesn’t, but if he did, it would be jazz – and what he watches on TV, he said, “I don’t watch TV. At all. Except for Fox News.” That quip brought instant laughter from about half the L.A. audience, quickly melting into a mix of mild cheers and mild boos. Elsewhere in the discussion, Rogers asserted, “I’ve always kind of lived in the moment. I will not talk about anything that can be contested by anybody because I don’t remember.” Goldman brought up Rogers renown as a photographer who has had three books of his work published. His quick story is proof that it’s never to late to begin something new. He says, “I was at KIRBY STONE’s house in New Jersey. It was in the fall. I found the colors breathtaking. I’d never taken a picture in my life. Kirby gave me an old Brownie Hawkeye [camera]. I was about 30 years old.” Invariably, his eclectic interests and conversation always come back to music. Though he is cited as one of the key figures who changed country music, he sounds mildly aggravated at what it has become. “What I do is so far removed from where country is now,” he says. Still, he quickly adds, “But I heard a song the other day, ‘Buy Me a Rose.’ It’s a great song!” Even when he was one of a small handful of country stars, his collaborations outside the genre have been huge, if not always known. Asked about the original “We Are the World” recording session, he says, “PAT BENATAR and I paid all the costs of everything so all the money would go to the cause. It was an incredible experience to stand there and hear everybody sing one line.” Asked about his duet mega-hit with DOLLY PARTON, “Islands in the Stream,” he revealed, BARRY GIBB wanted to produce that. KEN KRAGEN, my manager, brought in Dolly Parton. I didn’t even like the song ’til I heard Dolly sing it.” Somehow, you can reconcile the take-charge guy with the one who never lost his sense of wonder, and the guy who won’t talk about anything that can be contested with the one who is a devotee of Fox News. He chose all the songs on the new gospel CD. He felt it was important that it include “recognizable songs,” because “when someone goes to buy a CD, they like to know what it is.” He seems genuinely proud of the new songs for the project, as well. “MICHAEL McDONALD, VINCE GILL, and MICHAEL W. SMITH all wrote originals for it,” he says. He seems especially proud of the album’s collaboration with THE WHITES and celebrates the track with POINT OF GRACE. Noting the latter’s CD, “May the Circle Be Unbroken” (not to be confused with the series of records by the NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND), Rogers says “They [Point of Grace] asked to record the song again with me for this CD.” So what’s next? “I’m in the process of doing a project with DOLLY PARTON now,” he says. “Dolly’s scratch vocals sound better than my finished vocals. She’s always so prepared. I’m always so unprepared.” Maybe that’s true in the studio or maybe it’s a bit of obfuscation. It sure isn’t true of Kenny Rogers when he sits down for an interview.

He’s a Southern Cal treasure, one of the few performers who played with the great legends of the blues. BERNIE PEARL checked in to tell us that he and his longtime sideman, “MIKE BARRY, “had a wonderful time in the Delta in April, performing at the B.B. King Museum and leading several ‘Blues in Schools’ sessions in the Indianola [Mississippi] area. Although I had a cold and raspy vocal cords, we were well-received by appreciative audiences of all ages. We then went on to Clarksdale and had a ball playing at the ‘Juke Joint Festival’ in the central town in Mississippi Blues history. We hope to return soon.” Bernie continues about topics closer to home. “We have some things coming up that I'd like you to know about,” and he explains, “The Bernie Pearl Blues Band has been playing Monday nights 8-11 pm at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center, which will continue indefinitely. But, for those who find it difficult to get out on Mondays (but really need to hear some blues!) we have a surprise - we will also be playing several weekend dates there in May!” Those dates are a pair of Fridays & Saturdays, and the following Saturday. On May 13 & 14, Bernie says, “We will have as special guest, stirring vocalist SISTA SHERRY PRUITT.” The following Friday & Saturday, May 20 & 21, Bernie and Mike are joined by “Sensational saxman” BOBBY “HURRICANE” SPENCER. That’s not all. On Saturday, May 28, the “Soulful guitar slinger from New Orleans,” BIG TERRY DeROUEN, “joins the fun.” Bernie adds, “It is not unusual for outstanding blues artists in the audience to sit in for a tune or two.” He went on to announce a “Big Special Show! We will be doing the backup for the ‘Blues Mamas,’ presented by Barbara Morrison as part of her ‘Jazz in the Park’ series. A spectacular line-up of 15 (yes, count 'em) blues women telling the world all about it. Don't miss it! It's bound to sell out, get your tickets now!” The Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center is located at 4305 Degnan Bl, Leimert Park (Los Angeles) 90008. All shows there run 8-11 pm, and there is a $10 door charge. More info at 323-296-2272 or 310-462-1439 or online at www.barbaramorrison.com. Finally, you can catch the BERNIE PEARL BLUES BAND playing the annual “LONG BEACH BAYOU FESTIVAL” on Sunday, June 26. Their set is at noon. The Saturday & Sunday festival is set in beautiful Rainbow Lagoon Park in Long Beach, where as Bernie observes, “you can enjoy the sounds and the soul food of Louisiana all weekend.” Get festival info at 562-424-0013 or at www.rainbowpromotions.com. On an ongoing basis, blues aficionados should keep an eye on the schedule at the Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E Huntington Dr, Arcadia 91006; www.arcadiabluesclub.com; 626-447-9349.

The “L.A. ACOUSTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL” returns after a year of hiatus, with ELLIS PAUL, ELIZA GILKYSON, JIMMY LaFAVE, SARAH LEE GUTHRIE & JOHNNY IRION. This year, it’s indoors, and a one-day event in the Broad Stage Theatre at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica. Venue phone and websites, 310-434-3200; www.thebroadstage.com; www.events.smc.edu. Even before we knew the lineup, we were comfortable recommending it as a “Show-of-the-Week” pick, given the talent that producer RENEE BODIE booked the first year. Plus, this is a MUCH more manageable venue where costs can be contained and ticket prices can be kept to reasonable limits. The festival is, once again, a benefit for the nonprofit California Acoustic Music Project, whose mission is described at www.californiaacousticmusicproject.org. Complete info and advance tickets for the L.A. Acoustic Music Festival are available on their website at www.laacousticmusicfestival.com.

Seventy? He’s turning SEVENTY? This aptly-named program celebrates a musical icon whose accolades include a GRAMMY award, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Few artists can come close to achieving the musical and historical prominence of BOB DYLAN. The GRAMMY Museum wants us to tell you, “To commemorate Dylan’s 70th birthday, we invite you to join us for a special screening of Murray Lerner’s documentary, ‘The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan Live at The Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965.’” Described by the New York Times as “a remarkably pure and powerful documentary,” the film captures the musical genius of a young Bob Dylan and the controversy that surrounded him. After the screening, acclaimed writer and Rolling Stone contributing editor MIKHAL GILMORE, and Princeton professor and distinguished historian SEAN WILENTZ will discuss the film, Dylan's career, and the importance of the evening's occasion. Gilmore's numerous outstanding works include some of the most revealing interviews Bob Dylan has ever given. Critics from the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and the Los Angeles Times praise Wilentz and his book, “Bob Dylan in America,” for uncovering Dylan's art as never before. Gilmore and Wilentz will take audience questions and be available to sign copies of their books. “Forever Young” is Tuesday, May 24, at 7:30 pm in the 200-seat Clive Davis Sound Stage in the GRAMMY Museum. Doors open at 7. Admission is free, but reservations are required. This will certainly be booked solid, well ahead of the event. GRAMMY Museum members receive priority seating. To reserve your seats, and don’t dawdle. Call 213-765-6800 or e-mail programs@grammymuseum.org. The museum is located in the L.A. LIVE complex near Staples Center, at 800 W Olympic Bl (entrance on Figueroa) downtown Los Angeles 90015.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND MUSIC FESTIVALS ARE NEARLY UPON US We Profile Two of Them

There was a guy named DICK LANE in the early days of television who hosted a weekly wrestling show, and he had a trademark line for anything that was over the top (and what isn’t, in so-called “professional” wrestling?) Well, if ol’ Dick were still here, his “Whoa, Nellie!” would fit Memorial Day Weekend’s musical offerings. Next week, we’ll get deeply into the whole scene, but for those who may still need to make plans, here’s a quick overview of just two options. If you can handle a trip to Seattle, go. Seriously. Friday through Monday, May 27-30, is the annual NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL with well over 20 stages, many workshops, and the most beautiful outdoor/indoor festival site in America – Seattle Center, the preserved former World's Fair site, in Seattle, Washington. It’s free, though a daily entry donation is requested to support the festival (you won’t get strong armed over it – but once you experience it, you’ll WANT to support it). Every fan of folk-Americana, world folk music, traditional dance, acoustic jamming, and musical fun must attend this at least once (though it will probably become habit-forming). It's immense and very well organized. You'll need the first hour of each day to study the printed program and plan your activities, and you'll be thrilled and satiated if you manage to get to a third of what's on your “hit list.” The Seattle Center Monorail connects to many downtown hotels, and the Seattle bus system is quite good, so match that up with a deal on Amtrak (highly recommended) or a cheap flight, and just go. Among the notable specialties? Fans of maritime music always find good stuff there. + + + + + But if, like most of us, you’re too rooted in Southern Cal (by already taking a second mortgage and selling your blood plasma to pay for gasoline), then head for the 38th annual “TOPANGA DAYS FAIR” at the Topanga Community Center fairgrounds, 1440 N Topanga Canyon Bl, Topanga, midway between the 101 and PCH. (Yes, THIS “Topanga” festival is REALLY in Topanga.) Running Saturday-through-Monday, May 28-30, 10 am-7 pm each day, it's “One of the most celebrated country fairs in Southern California,” always with three stages of music and other entertainment, and the weekend when canyonites welcome everyone else not fortunate enough to live there. Musical headliners include the FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS, JOHN MAYALL, MAGGIE MAYALL, JIM MESSINA, THE STRAY CATS’ LEE ROCKER, & YESTERDAY’S CHILD. In addition to booking big time musical headliners, the event is known for its food and beverages, clothing, jewelry and art created by local artisans, along with a variety of environmentally-conscious products and services. Free shuttle service will run along Topanga Canyon Blvd, through the heart of the canyon. Even the Los Angeles Times, not usually friendly to avant garde or folky happenings, managed to note, “Live Music, tie-dyed shirts and a groovy spread continue to lure bohemians of all stripes!” The LA Weekly says, “The big draw is the music... Get up, stand up and love the one you’re with!” And the Daily News more substantially adds, “Celebrated for its family friendly atmosphere with an eye on preserving the earth for generations to enjoy, the country fair organically blends cutting edge musical acts, eclectic side stage attractions and booths peddling great food and award-winning contemporary crafts. Mark your calendars for Memorial Day weekend - Why would you want to be anywhere else?” Metro Mix says, “Oh Topanga Canyon. Despite all the pressure of gentrification in L.A., you remain an incubator for creative hippies who know how to throw a wicked party.” Topanga Days is a three-day fair and fundraiser celebrating music, the arts and the work of indigenous artisans. It’s not just Topangans who enjoy the festival. Assorted bohemians and regular families come from all over California. People flock to the fun scene for a relaxing and festive weekend. One of the highlights of the fair is the Monday morning Memorial Day Parade. “We’re making this year’s fair an event to remember,” said Mimi Williams, Managing Coordinator for the Fair. “We’re offering the best in live music, food and beverages, traditional family games and providing a showcase for innovative, environmentally conscious products and services.” She adds, “The arts are heavily supported with multiple stages filled with a diverse and talented roster of music and dance, an abundance of booths and vendors ranging from one-of-a-kind art pieces to affordable handcrafted gifts. Topanga Days… offers a mouthwatering selection of food and drinks that will satisfy vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike.” Go early to get a close place to park along the road and watch for signs that restrict parking (handicapped parking is available on site). The Fair opens its gates at 10 am, “welcoming attendees into a wonderland from a bygone era,” nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains on the edge of the State Park. General admission is $20. A discount is offered to members of the military or Topanga Community Center at $15; children between 6-12 and seniors are $10.

The event is accepting musician submissions, via Sonicbids, for a chance to perform. On Saturday, June 18 – while some of the best music festivals in North America are happening from Telluride to Live Oak to Huck Finn – the US's largest expression of the French-based “FETE DE LA MUSIQUE” makes its annual one-day return as “MAKE MUSIC PASADENA.” While relatively new here, it has become Southern California's largest music festival, in terms of the number of stages and participating performing artists. The event, which by French tradition happens June 18 regardless what day of the week that is, happily falls on Saturday this year. Organizers in Pasadena expect their biggest year yet, with over 100 free concerts and an estimated attendance of over 20,000. (It took a few years for anything to eclipse the 2004 Desert Song Music Festival booked and co-produced by Guide editor Larry Wines as a benefit for Project Hope – that one had 70 acts on six stages in one day, more than any one-day festival in California history to that time.) More info, including schedules of each stage as they are developed, are available at sonicbids.com/makemusicpasadena.

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About the Picture, and more...

WHAT picture? Click "View Web Version" if you're reading on your mobile device and you don't "get the picture..." ================================== ======================== ABOUT THE GUIDE'S EDITOR: Longtime journalist, with awards for print, publishing, broadcasting, more, including the Music Legend Award, presented to just one honoree each year at the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival. Creator and host of radio's award-winning "Tied to the Tracks" that introduced an Acoustic Americana / acoustic renaissance format to Los Angeles radio, with live in-studio performance-interviews with wonderful musicians; over 300 performing guests including GRAMMY and Juno winners and nominees.